2018 XC is a very small asteroid whose orbit could bring it in close proximity to Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2018 XC as a "Near Earth Asteroid" due to its orbit's proximity to Earth, but it is not considered potentially hazardous because computer simulations have not indicated any imminent likelihood of future collision.
2018 XC orbits the sun every 256 days (0.70 years), coming as close as 0.47 AU and reaching as far as 1.11 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2018 XC is probably between 0.019 to 0.043 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a school bus or smaller.
2018 XC's orbit is 0.01 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is a wide berth between this asteroid and Earth at all times.
2018 XC has 8 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Dec. 1, 2025 | 15,858,336 | 16.895 |
| Dec. 14, 2037 | 29,847,918 | 12.262 |
| Dec. 4, 2044 | 16,162,844 | 12.691 |
| Dec. 1, 2051 | 2,110,221 | 14.276 |
| Dec. 1, 2058 | 11,254,240 | 16.090 |
| Dec. 2, 2065 | 25,501,029 | 18.678 |
| Dec. 1, 2098 | 4,802,313 | 15.055 |
| Dec. 2, 2105 | 17,518,103 | 17.200 |
2018 XC's orbit is determined by observations dating back to Dec. 3, 2018. It was last officially observed on Dec. 10, 2018. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 48 observations used to determine its orbit.
The position of 2018 XC is indicated by a ◯ pink circle. Note that the object may not be in your current field of view. Use the controls below to adjust position, location, and time.